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Thane–Dombivli Train Accidents: Injuries Surge Despite Decline In Deaths On Central Railway’s Busiest Stretch

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Mumbai: Even as fatalities due to passengers falling from overcrowded suburban trains on the Thane–Dombivli stretch have declined in recent years, injuries have spiked dramatically, triggering fresh alarm over commuter safety on one of Central Railway’s busiest and most dangerous corridors. Between January 2014 and December 2024, a staggering 1,025 passengers lost their lives and 1,829 were injured after falling from moving trains on this stretch.

The latest incident occurred on June 27, when a 21-year-old man died after falling from a moving train, nearly a kilometre away from the site of the Mumbra train tragedy reported on June 9th.

Decline in Fatalities, But Injuries on the Rise

The number of fatalities has shown a slight but consistent decline—from 152 in 2014 to 145 in 2022, then down to 112 in 2023 and 107 in 2024. While this suggests some improvements—possibly due to infrastructure upgrades and greater public awareness—the injury data paints a more concerning picture.

Injuries had decreased steadily from 259 in 2014 to 106 in 2022. However, 2023 saw an alarming reversal, with 144 injuries reported. This trend worsened in 2024, with 203 passengers injured—marking the highest number in nearly a decade.

Officials have pointed to overcrowding and changing commuter habits as the primary reasons behind the rising injury count. “If we compare the Thane–Dombivli stretch with the situation in 2014, there has been an increase of more than 25% in carrying capacity,” said one senior railway official. “But overcrowding during peak hours remains a critical challenge.”

A major shift in how passengers carry their belongings is also under scrutiny. “Earlier, passengers used to carry bags in hand or on one shoulder, which took up less space. Now, the use of backpacks—which take up nearly double the space—has become widespread, further reducing available space and leading to dangerous crowding at train doors,” the official added.

Debate Over Track Design

Around 15-kilometre Thane-Dombivli strech is considered one of the most accident-prone stretches in Mumbai’s suburban rail network. Several passenger rights activists blame poor track design and sharp curves—especially between Diva- Mumbra- Kalwa—for contributing to accidents.

Advocate Deepak Dubey, who lost his brother in April 2024 between Diva and Mumbra , said, “The railway must conduct safety audits and consider modern design solutions such as tunnels or flyovers to replace these outdated curves.”

Activist Siddhesh Desai argued that traditional track design no longer aligns with the realities of Mumbai’s overcrowded trains. “Curves are calculated based on ideal speed and load conditions. These assumptions break down under the pressure of extreme crowding, making doorways perilous zones,” he said.

Railway veterans, however, dispute the notion that poor track design is responsible. Former Central Railway General Manager Subodh Jain said, “It’s incorrect to claim that jerks on curves are the cause of falls. Modern railway curves are designed with transitions and compensations for centrifugal force.”

Jain emphasized that the core issue is passengers standing precariously at the edges of overfilled compartments. “The real danger comes from passengers being forced to hang out of doors due to lack of space, not from any flaw in track geometry,” he said.

Maharashtra

Three men accused of robbing a youth have been arrested The main accused was apprehended in Titwala.

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Mumbai: A young man returning home on a motorcycle in the Asalpha area of ​​Ghatkopar was attacked and forcibly robbed by three men who brandished a chopper. A case was registered at the Ghatkopar police station under sections 309(4), 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code, sections 4, 25 of the Indian Penal Code, and sections 37(1) and 135 of the Indian Penal Code.

The complainant, Suraj Mahadev Dethe (24), and his friend, Yash Kamble, were passing near the Home Guard Training Center at approximately 1:30 a.m. on November 12th when three unidentified individuals in a three-wheeled tempo stopped them. The accused, using the chopper as a pointer, assaulted them, abused them, and stole their Honda Dio scooter and mobile phone.

As soon as the case was registered, the Assistant Commissioner of Police and Senior Police Inspector of the Ghatkopar Division inspected the scene. Based on technical and traditional investigations, the accused identified Hussain Aslam Memon, alias Genda. Upon receiving information that he was hiding in the Titwala area, the police apprehended him. During interrogation, he revealed the names of his accomplices – Munna Ramvilas Sharma and Dilshaduddin Sitabuddin Shaikh – who were subsequently arrested.

On November 13, the three accused were produced in court, where they were remanded to police custody until November 17. The investigation also revealed that Genda is a notorious criminal with more than 13 cases registered against him in various police stations.

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Maharashtra

4-year-old girl kidnapped from Mumbai recovered from Varanasi after 6 months, Mumbai Police finds clues

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Mumbai: Mumbai Police has succeeded in locating a 4-year-old girl after the Mumbai-Sholapur-CST train arrived in Mumbai. According to the details, the girl had come to Mumbai with her parents on May 20, 2025. During this time, an unknown person kidnapped the girl and took her from Mumbai to UP. After that, the police formed several teams to search for the girl and then one team was sent to Banaras. Here, the police took the help of social media and the media and made the girl’s picture viral. After that, a journalist told the police that there was a Marathi-speaking child in an orphanage here. After that, the police reached the place and confirmed it and brought the girl to Mumbai with documents on November 12. This operation was carried out by DCP Praveen Munde and the staff of M.A. Marg and Azad Maidan police on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti.

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Maharashtra

Three smugglers arrested in Dongri Shabina Guest House drug smuggling case

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Mumbai: After seizing three kilograms of cocaine from Shabina Guest House under the limits of Dongri Police Station, the police have claimed to have taken three drug peddlers into custody from Chennai Jail. According to the police, there was information about cocaine in Shabina Guest House here, on the basis of which on November 2, the police and ATC personnel conducted a raid and seized the drugs, the total value of which is estimated to be in crores. In this case, the police have registered a case under the NDPS Act. After this seizure, it was reported that this cocaine was smuggled from Ethiopia and South Africa by Tarun Kapoor, Sohail Ansari, Himanshu Shah and is lodged in Chennai Jail in a Narcotics Control Bureau case, on which the police have obtained the custody of these three accused and they have been formally arrested in this case. This operation was carried out under the guidance of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, DCP Praveen Munde and ACP Tanveer Shaikh.

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